The Noble's Steed
by WritingOpensSouls
Summary: Yugi has been cursed to be a horse and now Yami, the Prince of Egypt, has bought him. What will happen now?
1. Chapter 1 (Prologue)

**I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. :D**

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Yugi's POV:

Hello there, I'm Yugi. Before I start my story there are a few things you should know about me. The main one is that I'm cursed. Not like an evil 'I'm gonna die' curse, but a simpler, yet somehow still torturous one. You see, I'm a horse. Not entirely, I was once a human, and I still am at heart, but I do have the body of a horse. Well, most of the time. I get ten minutes of every day to be my normal, human self.

I'm sixteen years old. That may seem old for a horse, but it really isn't for a human, so my other form stays young. I guess that's a good thing, because otherwise I would die at a really young age.

As a horse, I look pretty much the same as I do a human. My natural form is rather unusual looking and that carries over to my other form as well. As a human, I have black hair that spikes up in a star-shape and the tips are purple. I also have blonde bangs that frame my round and childish face. I have big, amethyst eyes that perfect the angelic look. To top all that off I am also small for my age. I'm extremely short and have never really had much muscle.

As a horse, my coat is pure midnight black. My long, flowing mane and tail are also black except the tips are purple. The really unusual thing is my eyes, which are the same as my human form. It's not every day you see a horse with amethyst colored eyes. Luckily, my shortness didn't carry over, so I'm the normal size of a stallion. Honestly, I think I look better as a horse than I do a human. That's just me though.

I've had this curse ever since I was six years old. For those of you that can't do the math, I've been like this for ten years. In that miserable time, I've been through a lot. Let me tell you, it's not easy being a stallion.

I've switched owners a lot. Some were nice, but most were cruel. Almost everyone thinks that because horses aren't human they don't have feelings and so they have the right to treat them however they want. I don't know about regular horses, but that sure isn't true with me. Seriously, whips and crops hurt, I still need to eat, I need at least _some _rest, and a little more room to move around would be appreciated.

Overall, I hate this stupid curse. Now, you're probably wondering why I didn't just escape from my cruel masters with the ten minutes I have as a human. I've tried, but sadly you can't get very far in ten minutes. When I turn into a horse again I'm always caught quickly then punished severely for running away. Eventually I decided it wasn't worth the pain and stopped trying. That's basically how I've lived my wretched life so far.


	2. Chapter 2

Yugi's POV:

_I want to run around… There's not nearly enough space in here. _I thought as I continued to pace around the small stone pen I was being kept in. _There's not even any grass to snack on! _

The horse traders used this special pen surrounded by stone for the wild or dangerous horses. I'm usually a patient and kind mount, but even I act up when someone is repeatedly hitting me with a riding crop. I mean, what horse wouldn't?

When I was sold to this place, the man in charge there decided he wanted to be the one to test me out. It was almost as if that man didn't know how to ride a horse. Then again, I think the man was drunk at the time. He kept pulling my reins way too hard and his directions weren't clear at all. The guy kept hitting me with his riding crop, which usually means go forward or go faster, yet he was pulling back on the reins to stop me! Eventually I couldn't take the abuse anymore and started trying to buck him off. Considering he was drunk, it didn't take long for him to fall off. After that, I was officially branded as a dangerous horse and put in this stupid, cramped enclosure.

"Hey! Hurry up! The Prince of Egypt is coming! Get our best horses ready to showcase for him!" The yelling broke through my thoughts and I looked up to see the man in charge shouting at the other people working there. _Hmm… The Prince of Egypt? He's coming here? Wow… that's exciting. I never thought I'd get to see royalty. _

I continued to pace around, but I paid more attention to the chaos going on around me. A lot of their most even-tempered and beautiful mares and stallions were brought out so the Prince could see them better and the rest of the horses were pushed back. Of course, I was just left where I was.

"He's here! The Prince is here!" A loud voice broke through the noise of everyone running around and it suddenly became silent. Men rushed to get to their positions and the lead man went to stand in front to greet the Pharaoh's son. I stopped with them and turned to watch the proceedings.

Everyone watched nervously as the Prince of Egypt rode in on a white mare. I was shocked when I saw him. He looked like me in my human form! Well, sort of. He was taller and much more muscular for one. Another difference was that some of his blonde bangs shot up to highlight his black hair with red tips. He also had crimson eyes. His face wasn't round and childish like mine. He looked strong and powerful, while I looked weak and pathetic. The Prince dismounted and so did his various guards.

Two of the people accompanying the Prince stood out to me. Unlike the other stiff and cautious guards, these two were relaxed and comfortable around the Prince. One wasn't wearing the guards' outfit, so he must be an advisor or something. He was extremely tall with brown hair and piercing blue eyes. The other wore the guard outfit but still seemed to be good friends with the Prince. That one had blonde hair and soft brown eyes.

"Prince Yami, what are we doing in this dump?" The tall brown-haired one said, not even bothering to lower his voice. Several of the men working in this 'dump' looked offended. I agreed with him.

"Shush, Seto. I'm willing to look anywhere to find a horse that I want." The Prince, also known as Yami apparently, said.

"I still don't get why ya want some 'special horse'. I think da ones at da Palace are just fine." The blonde guard said.

"Be quiet Joey, you know how much Yami's previous stallion meant to him. The Prince wants to find a suitable horse to replace him." Seto said quietly to Joey.

Yami, who had apparently heard him, said "I still don't think I will be able to find a horse to replace him. You are the man in charge of these stables, correct?" Yami walked up to the boss standing in front of everyone else.

"I am, my Prince." The man replied.

"I would like to see your horses." Prince Yami told him.

"Yes, of course. If you will just follow me, my Prince, I'll show you our best horses." The man bowed before leading the Prince to where they had taken all of their 'suitable' horses. At this point, I was bored again and started pacing around.

Yami's POV:

The man told me about every single horse and their great qualities, but I wasn't really interested in any of them, in fact, I was currently extremely bored. I only had to glance at a horse to know it wasn't the one for me. My attention didn't stay on one horse for more than five seconds.

Suddenly my attention was drawn to a pasture set apart from all the others. It was made of stone and looked very sturdy. Inside it was a gorgeous stallion. He was completely black with a long mane and tail, also black with purple tips. The horse's eyes were breath-taking. They were a sparkling amethyst and were filled with a human-like intelligence.

I instantly felt a connection with this horse and couldn't seem to take my eyes off of it. "What about that stallion?" I asked, indicating the black stallion in the pen.

"Trust me, my Prince, you don't want that one. He's dangerous. Almost killed me, he did." The man said hurriedly.

"I would like to see him." I said firmly. The man just nodded and motioned for one of his men to saddle the horse and ride it. I watched the beautiful stallion as it looked at me in… bewilderment?

Yugi's POV:

"What about that stallion?" The Prince asked suddenly. My attention instantly snapped to the Prince of Egypt and his escorts. He couldn't be talking about me, could he? Why would the _Prince of Egypt _want _me?_

Then I watched as one of the men came to ride me. I took a step back nervously. He was holding a crop, like all the other men here. _Maybe this one is different. Some people carry those around for decoration… He could be nice… I shouldn't judge someone by their appearance… _I stood patiently while they put a saddle and bridle on me. I was still a bit nervous.

The man got on and instantly I felt the sting of the riding crop as it hit my right flank. I walked forward obediently, thinking that's what he wanted from me. Apparently it wasn't because he yanked back on the reigns, the bit digging into my mouth. I backed up according to his instructions but that only got me several more whips from the crop. He pushed me forward then back again, he tugged me left and right, but nothing seemed to please him.

He continued to whip me continuously. Most of the blows came to my right flank, but sometimes he would switch to left. My right hip hurt immensely. Another downside of the curse is that I'm more sensitive to pain than normal horses. Stupid soft, sensitive skin.

I started to move around carelessly. I ran until I reached the boundary of my small prison, then I swiveled around and around, occasionally hitting against the railing. The man simply continued to hit me. I began to buck, tired of the endless abuse. Sadly, this man was sober and was much harder to get off.

"See, my Prince, this horse is nothing but trouble. You don't want him, you could get hurt." I heard the man say to the Prince who was watching disapprovingly.

Normal POV:

Yami watched as they continued to try and ride the stallion. _What are those people thinking? Can they even ride a horse? No horse is going to respond properly if you treat it that way. _Yami thought angrily.

"Stop!" He called out. The man riding Yugi stopped moving and Yugi did too, much to everyone else's surprise. "I would like to try riding him." Yami knew it was dangerous, but he had a feeling that the stallion would be perfectly fine if he wasn't hit with a riding crop so many times. The man in charge looked horrified at the idea.

"My Prince, I highly advise against it! You could be hurt!" Yami raised a hand to silence the man.

"I want to ride the stallion." The Prince repeated. He looked over at Seto, his advisor, daring him to disagree. Seto simply nodded his approval. He had also noticed the harsh treatment of the horse and had the same suspicions as Yami.

Yugi's POV:

The man riding me dismounted and walked out, offering his riding crop to the Prince as he came up to the gate. The Prince simply shook his head and entered the pen. I was extremely nervous and excited at the same time. _The Prince of Egypt is going to ride me… I should feel honored, right? I am honored… yeah… What if I mess up? What if I accidentally hurt him? _I stood perfectly still, panicked thoughts running through my mind. Everyone held their breath as Prince Yami mounted. I stayed as still as I possibly could so he could get on easier. Yami sat on my back for a while, silently waiting to see if it was safe. I stayed still and strained all my senses for even the littlest sign that he wanted me to do something.

I felt a gentle kick to my sides and I instantly started walking forward. He walked me around the arena a few times. I was surprised at how gentle he was. Yami didn't yank on my reigns as the others had and his kicks were soft. I felt another gentle kick to my side and I moved into a trot. After that I was instructed to lope. Sadly, there wasn't nearly enough room for a full out gallop, like I so desperately wanted after being cooped up in here for so long.

Prince Yami pulled back on my reigns and I immediately came to a stop. Then he gave a command that was completely foreign to me. The Prince pulled my reigns a little to the right but also pulling back. He also pressed his right foot into my side. I was baffled and did nothing for a moment. Then he softly whispered, "Come on, turn in a circle," as if talking to himself. Suddenly I understood and I was quick to obey.

He walked me forwards again and walked straight up to the railing, except he didn't give any command to turn, so instead of turning on my own like a normal horse would have done, I stopped. The Prince pulled the reigns to the left and kicked softly again. I walked in the direction he wanted me to go. He stopped me in the middle of the pen and dismounted. Once again, I stayed perfectly still. I didn't even move after he had gotten off.

"What's his name?" The Prince asked the man in charge.

"His previous owner told us his name was Yugi, my Prince." The man replied. I smiled inwardly. The first person who had bought me named me something stupid, so I changed into my human form and explained to him that 'the horse's' name was Yugi. Luckily, no one had bothered to change the name, so I got to keep my original title.

"Yugi… I like it. I would like to buy him." Prince Yami said. I was now utterly bewildered. I still couldn't believe the Prince of Egypt wanted me. Out of all the horses in Egypt, why me? At least it will get me away from this place.

The man selling the horses didn't argue. He was just happy that the Prince was buying the horse from their stable. Eventually they settled on a price. I personally thought it was too much, but both sides seemed happy with it. In the end I was riding off to the Palace with my new master, Prince Yami.


	3. Chapter 3

_**I'm really sorry I haven't updated this story in a long time. I've been working mostly on my other two stories that are more popular with my readers. Ugh. Why did I ever decide to write three stories at the same time?**_

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Yugi's POV:

We walked out of the city where Yami had bought me and out on to the burning sand. This city was secluded and it didn't bring many visitors, especially royalty like the Prince. I guess Prince Yami really was very desperate to find a good horse. I didn't even realize I was walking much faster than all the other horses the Prince's escort was riding. All I wanted to do was run after being cooped up so long. I wanted to feel the wind coursing through my mane. I desperately missed the feeling of freedom as I ran across the desert.

Prince Yami chuckled at my impatience. If a horse could blush, I did. I quickly slowed down to the speed the others were going. "Seto, I'm going to go ahead for a while. I want to test out Yugi's abilities." Yami told Seto with a mischievous smile. Seto nodded and my ears perked up instantly. _Yes! Running! _

Prince Yami gave a kick to tell me to go faster. I happily obliged. Soon we were soaring across the sand. I whinnied happily and shook my mane at the wonderful feeling of running top speed across Egypt.

In my excitement, I leaped mid-stride. I instantly regretted my decision. _I'm such an idiot! What if he fell off? He could have gotten hurt! What if- _My thoughts were cut off when I heard Yami laugh. Apparently, he was an experienced rider and enjoyed galloping as much as I did.

Yami's POV:

I was surprised at how fast Yugi was. He might have even been faster than my previous stallion. I pressed myself flat against Yugi's back to reduce wind resistance and gain more speed. I loved riding. It was one of the only things that made me happy. Life in the palace was always stressful and boring, but riding felt free and… well, just plain amazing. No meetings with annoying royal 'friends', no one telling me what to do, no boring counsels, no training, no proper behavior, no stressful feasts, no forced feelings, only the powerful muscles of the horse beneath me and the wind rushing past.

Of course, my parents didn't like it when I ditched lessons or meetings to go riding. I always seemed to get in trouble for it, but hey, what can they do? They obviously don't understand that I needed time off sometimes.

I laughed as Yugi leapt, my first real laugh in a long time. I could tell he enjoyed running as much as I did. We galloped a while longer before I felt that Yugi was getting fatigued. I pulled on the reins to slow him down to a walk, then we turned around to head back to the group.

Normal POV:

It didn't take long to meet up with everyone else. They had been following at a gallop as well, but they couldn't keep up completely. Yugi was panting heavily and Yami was breathing deeply as well. "So, what do you think?" Yami asked, turning to Seto and Joey.

"I'm impressed. He's a good one. Ya sure know how ta pick horses, Yami." Joey said with a smile. Yami had on a huge smile. He turned to Seto for his opinion. Seto simply gave a nod of approval. Yami leaned down slightly to pet Yugi's neck.

They continued their journey to the palace. It took a while but eventually the palace came into view. Yugi was stunned and stopped walking momentarily. _It's huge! And beautiful!_ Yugi thought. Indeed, the building was striking. Most of it was a glimmering white, but some of it was made of material that made it look like pure gold. It was quite the site to behold. Yugi quickly started walking again, but continued to look at the fortress in awe.

After traveling through the bustling city, they arrived at the front gate. It was huge and made of a silvery metal that looked extremely strong. Guards at the gate quickly opened it when they saw Prince Yami approaching. The palace seemed even more magnificent up close. Once they were inside, Yami dismounted. A stable boy came up to get his horse, but Yami insisted on taking Yugi there himself.

The stables were almost as good as the palace itself. The stalls inside were spacious and cozy and each stall had a doorway with an open door leading out into a gorgeous pasture. The pasture had a small pond which nourished the grass and trees growing in the paddock.

Yami lead Yugi into a specific stall reserved for the Prince's horse. Clean straw already covered the floor and sweet hay and water filled troughs inside the stall. Yugi whinnied happily in his new living quarters. Yami chuckled at Yugi's enthusiasm as he grabbed a brush and began grooming him. Yugi was still having trouble believing his luck in getting such a great master. Yami eventually had to leave, much to both their displeasure. Yami patted Yugi's shoulder to say goodbye and Yugi nuzzled his shoulder in return. Yami smiled and petted Yugi's face gently before leaving.

Yugi snorted unhappily at his friend leaving before heading out to explore his new home.

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**_Sorry this chapter is short. I've got good ideas, but I'm still figuring out how to connect them. Thanks for reading!_**


	4. Chapter 4

**Bold**= _**Horse Talk**_

Yugi's POV:

I walked out into the gorgeous pasture and trotted over to the pond excitedly. I ran around happily looking at all the wonderful things. There were beautiful flowers of many colors growing around adding just the right amount of the color to the lush green grass and trees. The pond was sparkling and clean and it had a stream leading out to keep the water fresh.

I nibbled on the grass to find it was sweet and delicious. Okay, for a human I know that sounds weird, but it's an acquired taste I guess. Not to mention the stomach I had to feed was a lot bigger. I was enjoying my time in the pasture when the white mare Yami was riding before came up to me.

**Pft. I don't know what Yami sees in you. **She said in an intimidating voice. Great. I've been through a lot of bullying in my life so this isn't new to me. Still… I couldn't help but think she was right. I'd been wondering this whole time why Yami would choose me. After all, I'm just one horse out of many. I'm not even the best out there.

The mare took a threatening step towards me. I bowed my head submissively and backed off. I didn't want any trouble. Considering all my past bullying experiences I knew I never was able to stand up to them. She just laughed dismissively and trotted off knowing she'd proved her point for now. I hung my head and sighed. I figured it would be best if I left so I trotted back to my stall and stayed there the rest of the night.

I woke up in the middle of the night. I wasn't really sure why… It was just a feeling or something. I looked around the stables. The dim candlelight showed the rest of the horses in their stalls sleeping. I looked around my stall. The only thing worth noting was the now closed door to the pasture to protect us from the chill of night and bad weather. I turned my attention back to the rest of the stables. I still had this strong foreboding feeling.

I strained my eyes looking for something out of place. Suddenly a candle dropped out of a loose metal frame. I watched as the flame fell onto the dry straw. No. No, no, no this wasn't good! I quickly changed into my human form and almost fell over. It had been so long since I'd walked on two legs. I steadied myself before opening the stall door and running out. I tried to find a way to put out the fire but it was growing too quickly.

Knowing I couldn't stop the raging fire I knew I had to get the now screaming horses out. I ran towards the stall closest to the fire and yanked open the gate. The horse ran out, terrified. I coughed from the smoke and covered my nose and mouth with my very old shirt. I ran to the next stalls and quickly opened those as well, ignoring the scorching heat. Once the horses were out of the stalls and away from immediate danger, I quickly opened one of the doors leading out into the pasture. The frightened horses ran past me into the cool night air. I briefly saw people running to the stables to put out the fire once they saw the flames.

Then I saw him. It was Prince Yami yelling out directions to the men trying to put out the raging fire. "Get any surviving horses out if you can! Get more buckets!" I heard him yelling. I began walking over knowing I had to tell him all the horses were out so he didn't risk someone going in.

Yami's POV:

I was sleeping peacefully when I heard yelling outside my room. I quickly got up and ran out asking a nearby guard what was wrong. "My Prince, the stables are on fire!" The panicked guard quickly told me.

I froze for a second in horror before snapping out of it and ran outside to help. I started yelling orders to get the fire under control. My heart was pounding painfully from adrenaline and worry for the horses inside.

"Get any surviving horses out if you can! Get more buckets!" I yelled to the men trying to douse the fire with buckets of water.

"Um… My Prince?" I turned to look at the person who had spoken. I froze in shock seeing the boy before me. He could be my twin we looked so similar! He had star-shaped pointy hair, the base black but with purple tips. He also had blond bangs framing his round, childish face. His skin was pale which was surprising for someone who lived in Egypt. He was also shorter than I was, which was a surprise considering I'm not that tall. But his eyes, yes, those eyes were the thing that drew my attention the most. He had beautiful amethyst eyes that looked so familiar yet I couldn't quite place it… Finally I registered that he was still waiting for my response.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, what is it?" I asked gently.

"Um… You don't have to worry about the horses. They're all okay." The boy gestured to the pasture which was indeed full of fearful horses. I stared in wonder and relief at the horses before looking at the boy.

"Did you rescue them?" I asked him. I received a cute smile and nod in response. "Well, I owe you my thanks. You were very brave to face that fire." The boy tensed up for some unknown reason. "May I ask what your name is?" I continued. The boy said nothing. Instead, he raced back to the pasture. I stood there, stunned at the reaction.

"My Prince, we can't douse it fast enough with buckets!" A guard called to me. I shook off the shock and turned to the problem at hand.

"Get Seto and Mahado! Tell them to prepare a water spell!" I resumed commanding, pushing my thoughts of the strange boy away for now.

Yugi's POV:

I felt really bad for leaving him like that, but I had no choice. As he was talking I felt the familiar pain reminding me that my ten minutes as a human were up. I could have possibly stayed longer, but I knew it would cause more problems. The longer I stayed in that form the more pain it caused until eventually I passed out, returning to the horse form. I couldn't let anyone know about my secret so changing like that was a big problem.

I watched through the crowd of other horses as Seto and a man with long brown hair and dark purple eyes summoned some kind of water looking monster that quickly doused the whole stables… As well as a few bystanders… It was really very impressive. Still, I couldn't help wondering what came next.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Oh my gosh! How time flies! I was just sitting down browsing through all of the wonderful stories on here, and suddenly it's four months later! What the heck? Oh well... What I'm trying to say is: I'm so sorry for not updating in four months! Hehehehe... So, um... Here is the next chapter... I'll probably end up updating... Actually, you never know with me. I'll try and make it soon! Enjoy!**_

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Yugi's POV:

I woke up and looked around the pasture. All the other horses had found a nice place to sleep in the pasture, much like me. I had chosen a secluded corner where I'd promptly fallen to the ground, exhausted from the day's efforts.

"Yugi!" My head shot up as I looked around for the source of the voice. My eyes landed on Prince Yami who was walking through the pasture. All the horses flocked to him, hoping for food or attention.

"Yugi! Here, boy!" Yami called again, looking around. My groggy mind finally woke up fully and I realized he was calling for me. I jumped up and trotted over to him. A few horses were blocking my path and I tried to move around them. Then Yami spotted me.

"Yugi! There you are!" Yami made his way over to me and softly stroked my nose. "I wanted to make sure you were all right. That fire was pretty bad." Yami looked towards the ruined stables sadly then back to me. I nuzzled his face trying to cheer him up. He smiled and patted my neck lovingly.

"Come on, let's go for a ride." Yami said, smile still in place. I followed him obediently as he led me out of the pasture. "Sadly, a lot of the tack was ruined in the fire. That's okay though. I can ride just fine without it." I nodded my head to show I understood. He looked at me weirdly. _What did I do?_

"Did… Did you just nod?" Yami asked slowly, looking thoroughly confused. _Dang it! What was I thinking? Horses aren't supposed to nod._ I decided it was best to pretend I didn't understand. I just stood there and blinked dumbly at him. Yami stared back. Eventually he just shook his head, mumbling about how stupid he was as he mounted me expertly, grabbing my hair and swinging up.

Soon I felt a gentle kick to my side and I moved forward, walking away from the stables and towards the town.

We rode into the town and immediately people surrounded us.

"Wook Mommy! It's Pwince Yami!" A little boy yelled pointing up to Yami. The Prince smiled at him and he giggled. His mother picked him up and he waved. Yami waved back, the smile still on his face.

As we continued through the town, it became obvious how much the people of Egypt loved the Prince. Everyone smiled as he approached and many waved and said hello. A couple even stopped to have a conversation with him. All formalities were forgotten as they talked with the mighty Prince of Egypt like longtime friends. Some of them probably were.

Vendors called out to the Prince, trying to get him to buy their products. Yami ended up buying a lot of pointless stuff, just to give money to the merchants.

Eventually we made our way into the quieter section of the town, Yami munching on a pastry he had bought from a stall. We were both just enjoying the peaceful ride, letting ourselves relax. It also gave me a lot of time to see the town and being to settle in. Everything was beautiful and calm. It was perfect. Of course, nothing is truly perfect. Everything has its flaws. Speaking of which…

Suddenly a man jumped out of nowhere and tackled Yami to the ground. Yami managed to escape the man's grasp and stood up quickly, getting into a defensive position facing the attacker. Soon five more thugs attacked from both sides of the street, forcing Yami into an alleyway. I reared up and backed in front of Yami, shielding him from the brutes. Unfortunately, a big horse doesn't fit very well into an alley and my maneuverability was severely limited. A couple of the bandits got behind me and attacked Yami. I wasn't able to defend him from all of them at once.

I was rather surprised when Yami fought back, holding his own really well. But three against one was too much, even for the Prince. One of the thugs landed a hit and everything went downhill from there. Yami was losing, and I couldn't do anything, not confined to the alleyway like I was. I had to get help, and fast. I took off, hoping Yami would forgive me.

I ran as fast as I could back to the marketplace. I'd seen a few guards there that I knew would help. I stopped and looked around frantically, trying to find a guard. My gaze landed on a guard with blonde hair and gentle brown eyes. Wait a minute… I'd seen him before! He was with the Prince when he bought me. I think I heard someone call him Joey…

Not wasting time, I dove into an alley and changed to my human form. Wow, I'd changed more in two days than I had in years! Who knew Princes could be so much trouble? I ran out of the alley, cursing how slow human legs made me. I reached the guard and quickly grabbed his cape, pulling him in the direction of the Prince.

"Ey! Whatcha doin, kid? Leggo of me!" Joey said, trying to pull my hands away from his cloak.

"Hurry! You have to come! The Prince is being attacked!" I yelled, still attempting to pull him along. His eyes widened, and then his face grew deadly serious.

"Where?" Was all he asked. I gestured for him to follow and ran towards where I'd left Yami. I just hoped he was okay…

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Yami's POV:

One of the bandits managed to hit me and before I could recover, I was hit again. One of them kicked me and I fell to the ground. When I looked up, I saw my horse get scared and run off. _Great. Just great. It's going to be a pain trying to find him again. _I thought, gritting my teeth. I tried to stand up and fight, but I was kicked back to the ground.

I grunted in pain as another blow hit its mark. After a few more kicks I managed to get up again. I landed a few punches of my own, but I was still being beaten badly. It was five against one and I didn't stand a chance. Looking for an escape, I found all exits blocked off. _Crap! I can't die here! My country needs me! _ I thought desperately as yet another man hit me. I found myself back on the ground, highly disoriented.

My vision started getting blurry, but then I heard an angry shout. I looked up to see Joey rushing into the fight with his sword. _Thank goodness…_ Then I noticed the boy I'd seen at the fire standing at the entrance to the alley looking very worried.

My attention turned back to the fight as Joey managed to dispose of the thugs. Soon I found him kneeling next to me, assessing my injuries. Then I let the imposing darkness take me.

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Yugi's POV:

I watched worriedly as Joey knelt next to Prince Yami. He looked pretty bad… When I got there I was horrified to find that the bandits had overpowered him and beaten him senseless. I wanted to help, but I didn't know what to do.

"We gotta get him back ta the palace, an' quickly!" Joey said hurriedly, looking up at me. I nodded, starting to feel the pain of my transformation. I glanced over my shoulder then looked back.

"Quickly, the Prince's horse is just around the corner, you can get him there faster." I said before running around the corner and quickly changing. Joey soon followed carrying Prince Yami bridal style. He looked around in confusion for a minute, probably wondering where my other form went. Going back to the emergency at hand, Joey shook off his confusion and placed Yami gently on my back before getting on himself.

Joey made sure he had a secure hold on the Prince before kicking me urgently. I took off instantly, heading towards the palace. I already knew where to go.


	6. Chapter 6

**Great! A new chapter! I now it's been a while since I've update this story, but it'll be better now. I've decided to write fifteen minutes every day and so far I've been popping out updates like nobody's business. :D Anyway, hope you enjoy it! (Also, if you have any ideas, I'd love to here them. You know, just little Yami and Yugi bonding moments (friendship wise) and stuff.) Please leave a review on your way out!  
**

_**Blah = Horse Talk**_

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Yugi's POV:

I ran as quickly and gently as I knew how. Soon we arrived at the Palace and Joey hurriedly took the Prince inside. I stood there for a moment, worrying about my owner as well as not knowing what to do. Then I began to pace in front of the entrance, thinking of all the possibilities.

_What if I was too late? What if Yami was too hurt to save? What if he died? Would it be my fault? What would I do then? _My thoughts ran wild until Joey came back out. I looked up, my attention focused completely on Joey as he came towards me.

"Hey der, Yug." Joey said as he approached me. I stomped my foot nervously looking back up to the Palace where Yami was. "Easy der. I'm not gonna hurt ya."

I desperately wanted to yell at him, to ask him how Prince Yami was and if he would be all right. I snorted flicking my head up towards the Palace, hoping he'd get the clue.

"Come now, boy. You're all righ'." Joey said soothingly. I snorted in defeat and lowered my head, allowing Joey to grab hold of my hair. He gently led me back to the pasture, all the while talking to me.

"Yami woke up when we reached da medical chambers. He kept tellin' me ta go find ya. I tried tellin' him ya were already found, but he was kinda outta it. Finally, Ishizu put him under. She said he'll be fine, jus' be in a bit a pain for a while." Joey said. I let out a breath of relief when I heard Yami was okay.

We reached the pasture and Joey turned me loose. I turned and nuzzled Joey's shoulder over the fence to thank him for saving the Prince. Joey just chuckled and patted my nose before walking back to the Palace.

I turned and headed to a secluded corner of the pasture when I was cut off by the mare from my first day here.

_**What did you do? Everyone has been talking about how the Prince came back all beaten and unconscious. You were with him, so what did you do? **_The white mare said angrily, stepping threateningly towards me.

_**I… I… We were just riding through the town when bandits attacked… I didn't do anything…**_ I winced at how pathetic and weak my voice sounded.

_**Right. I believe the bandit thing and I know you're right when you say you didn't do anything. And that's the problem! You're so weak you can't defend our great Prince from danger! I bet you didn't even try! My guess is that you ran off at the first sight of danger.**_ The mare continued, eyes narrowing dangerously.

_**N-no! I tried to help… but we… we were in an alley and… and… I couldn't do anything… I ran and got…**_ The white horse cut me off with a sharp laugh.

_**I knew it! You ran off tail between your legs! You are so pathetic! Surely our Prince will see that, then he'll have no use for you anymore.**_ The mare snorted in my face and reared up slightly. I backed off, not wanting to get hit by her hooves. She laughed and trotted away to talk to the other horses… most likely about me.

I sighed and continued to my isolated little corner. She was probably right… Prince Yami deserved a lot better than me, but I guess it's not my choice. If Prince Yami still wanted me after this, I wouldn't complain. Besides, I'd just have to try harder. As long as I was Yami's horse, I would try to protect him. With my life, if necessary.

I settled down in my corner, exhausted from today's events.

Yami's POV:

_Ow…_ That was my first thought as I woke up. I think I remember waking up once before… But everything was blurry and didn't make much sense. I remember Joey saving me, then suddenly we were in the medical chambers in the Palace. I think Joey was there, telling me everything was all right. Ishizu was busily trying to patch me up… I probably passed out again.

My thoughts wandered back to the fight in the alley. I was mostly focused on not getting killed, but I remember some other little details. The boy I thought I saw came into my mind. I was positive that it was the same boy that saved the horses from the fire.

But what was he doing there? We were in a pretty secluded alley. As far as I could tell the bandits, myself, and my horse were the only ones. Wait… My horse! Yugi! He ran off during the fight… He could be anywhere. Didn't I tell Joey to get him back? I thought I did, but then again my memories were fuzzy.

My thoughts were interrupted by the door opening. Ishizu came in and smiled when she saw I was awake. "How are you feeling, Your Highness?"

"I'm fine, Ishizu. Do you know what happened to my horse? He ran off during the fight, did someone get him?"

Ishizu laughed. "I'm guessing you don't remember much from the first time you woke up. Joey told you that your horse was fine. In fact, I believe he rode in on your horse, my Prince."

"Oh… I'm glad. Hey, do you know where Joey is? I want to talk to him." I replied. Now that I was sure Yugi was okay, my thoughts went back to the mysterious boy. Perhaps Joey had seen him too?

"Of course, my liege. I'll send him in as soon as I can." Ishizu said while checking over my injuries. After she was done, she left to find Joey.

Soon enough, the blonde haired, brown-eyed boy came in. "Ya wanted ta see me, Your Highness?" Joey asked, looking nervous.

"I thought we agreed to drop all the formalities, Joey." I said with a smirk. He nodded, now even more nervous. "Relax, Joey. I didn't call for you because you did something wrong. In fact, I should thank you for saving my life."

"It was my duty, Yami. Plus…" A mischievous smirk came over his features. "I couldn't jus' let my best friend get killed in ah dirty ole alley."

I scoffed. "I could have taken them if there were two or three. In case you didn't notice, there were five!"

"I managed jus' fine…" Joey replied, teasingly.

I scowled. "You had a sword. I was unarmed."

"How many times must I tell ya ta bring a weapon when ya go out? I's your own stupid fault." Joey crossed his arms, also glaring.

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. That's not what I wanted to talk about anyway." Joey cocked his head questioningly. "Before I lost consciousness… I thought I saw a boy. He looked like me, star-shaped black hair with purple tips and blonde bangs. He was pale, with amethyst eyes. You couldn't have missed him. Was he really there?"

Joey nodded, eyes going wide. "Yeah. I was actually in da square when da boy practically jumped on me, tryin' ta pull me off somewhere. He said ya were hurt so I followed 'im ta da alley you were in. After ya passed out, he pointed me ta your horse just around da corner. Strangely enough, he disappeared when I came out of da alley. I didn' think about it too much cause I jumped on ya horse to get ya back to da Palace."

I sat in deep thought for a moment. "That's so strange… I saw him just after the fire as well. Then he disappeared, just like this time."

"Do ya think he's some kinda bringer of misfortune?" Joey chimed in, looking troubled.

"But… He said he saved the horses, and he got help when I was attacked. If he brings bad fortune then why help out after? It doesn't add up."

"Ya have ta admit it is suspicious dough. Every time he appears is when some'in bad happens."

"He could just be trying to help." I argued, not wanting to accuse the person who had helped me so much.

"Still… He disappears right afta. Why would he run?"

"… I don't know, Joey." I said, putting my head in my hands in frustration.

"All right den, we'll just hafta figure it out. If he shows up again, we'll bring 'im in for questionin'. Then he'll hafta tell us." Joey reasoned, pacing slightly.

"But what if he's innocent? He's also done a lot of good, Joey." I pointed out.

"Den we'll let 'im go, an' maybe wit a reward to boot." Joey countered. "We gotta figure all dis out, dough."

I sighed. "You're right, Joey. If he shows up again we'll question him. But I don't want him hurt, understand?" I looked at Joey with a stern look.

"'Course. I'll see ta it personally. You just rest up, Yams." Joey turned to leave, ignoring my scowl at the nickname.

I sighed in frustration as I thought everything over. Finally, with a major headache, I went to sleep. That night I dreamt of the mysterious boy and possible encounters we might have in the future.


	7. Chapter 7

**I apologize greatly. This chapter is a complete filler and very boring... The thing is, I don't want Yami to find out about Yugi until they've bonded more. Yami has to have _some_ reason not to execute Yugi. ;) I have run out of ideas on bonding moments. Some suggestions would be greatly welcomed! I know you probably won't, but I hope you enjoy the chapter! Please leave a review on your way out!**

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Yugi's POV:

It was a full week before Yami came down to the pasture again. When I saw him approach the pasture, I whinnied in glee and loped over to him. The Prince chuckled and patted my muzzle. "Hey there. I see you missed me." Yami said with a smirk. I just nuzzled his face in response.

Yami laughed again and entered the pasture to lead me out. He mounted me not bothering to put on a bridle or saddle. We were about to ride away when a voice called out from behind us.

"Yami Atemu! What do you think you are doing?" It was a woman, a very finely dressed one and very beautiful, that strode toward us peacefully. I hear Yami sigh and I practically felt him roll his eyes.

"I'm going for a ride, Mother." Yami replied sounding highly annoyed.

"You most certainly are not! Have you forgotten what happened last week? You're still recovering! You can't possibly go out!" The Queen placed her hands on her hips as she stood looking up at Yami.

"I can't stand it in there anymore!"

"That doesn't matter. You are hurt so you are staying in bed!" Yami's mother ordered sternly. I felt really awkward being in the middle of this argument, but they most certainly didn't feel the same way. After all, I was just a horse. What did I matter?

"What if I stayed within the Palace walls? I could just ride through the gardens. I won't even go faster than a trot." Yami pleaded. Now it was the Queen's turn to sigh.

"You are so difficult sometimes. Fine, but you have to promise to walk the entire time, got it?" She stared at him strictly.

"I promise." Yami reassured. The Queen nodded and watched as Yami directed me to the gardens. I still felt awkward but that was wiped away when we entered the gardens. It was gorgeous! Flowers from all over the country colored the landscape and trees provided nice shaded spots on the grass. Fountains and lakes made sure the place was moist for the greenery as well as adding to the beauty.

Yami seemed to smile as we entered. I could tell this was one of his favorite places to be. I walked around for a while according to his demand. Yami looked around him before bending low and acting rather sneaky. "Come on, let's have some fun." Yami gently kicked my sides to go faster.

Shocked, I stopped. His mother just barely ordered him not to! Besides, she had a point. Yami was hurt and strenuous activity would only hurt him more.

"Come on Yugi, let's go!" Yami sounded like a pouting child. I snorted at him, turning my head to give him a stern look. Yami looked rather offended. "What, you're telling me you agree with my mother?" I just snorted at him again. "I guess I'm stuck to walking still, aren't I?"

Content he wouldn't try anything, I walked forwards. I explored the gardens a little as Yami let me have free reign. After a while, Yami led me back to the pasture. He looked a lot more relaxed and carefree after the ride. Happy that I helped Yami feel better, I pranced around a little before turning to give Yami a 'goodbye' nuzzle. Yami just chuckled and patted my neck then left.

Alone once more, I trotted off to my little corner and settled down. I watched the Egyptians work on rebuilding the stables for a while to amuse myself.

Yami's POV:

I walked back into the Palace feeling much more relaxed. I loved riding, it just felt like a part of me. I saw Joey walking down the hall towards me.

"Hey Yams! Your Mom jus' told me ta come get ya. Man, dat lady's scary sometimes." Joey said shaking his head. I laughed.

"No kidding. Sometimes she even scares me." I reply with a smile.

"I see you're lookin' betta." Joey commented.

"Yeah, much. I don't get what the big deal was. It was mostly just bruises." I felt fine. I didn't understand why everyone was making such a big deal out of it.

"You were in da medical chambers fer a whole week!"

I shrugged. "Only because Ishizu made me. I only really needed a few days of rest." Joey just rolled his eyes. "Hey, any word on the boy?" I asked as my mind wandered to the mission I'd given Joey. Joey shook his head.

"Sorry, Yami. It's like he disappeared off da face of da Earth." Joey replied, suddenly serious. I sighed.

"It's all right, Joey. Maybe it's best if we don't find him. As long as he doesn't show up again he isn't a threat." I replied.

"Dat's true." Joey nodded.

"Keep an eye out though." Joey nodded again. "I'm going to go work on something or other. My tutors have given me a lot of work to catch up on." I said as I walked towards my room.

"Have fun wit' dat." Joey said with a smirk, also walking away.

I made it to my room and began my excruciatingly boring schoolwork.


	8. Chapter 8

**Alright guys, another chapter up. So, I did some research on horses in Ancient Egypt. There's not much, but enough to know I'm very wrong about some things. Apparently, they always rode bareback, but for the sake of the story, we'll say they have saddles and tack. And, only wealthy people had them, since they were rare and very expensive. That part fits with the story mostly, except maybe the buying scene and perhaps future scenes as well. We might have to also ignore that. Also, interestingly enough, Pharaohs often saw to their horses personally, which fits perfectly with the story. Sorry, you didn't come here for a history lesson... Anyways, enjoy the chapter and please leave a review on your way out!**

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Yugi was awoken by wetness dripping on his face. He groaned as he realized it was raining. _Great. Just great. _Yugi thought as the rain poured down. He looked sadly at the ruined stables, wishing there was some kind of protection from the rain. It was obvious all the other horses did too. Many paced restlessly, though some didn't seem bothered at all.

Yugi shivered as it got colder. Egypt may be hot in the day time, but nights were _cold_. Deserts were strange that way. He lie down instead of standing up, hoping to keep more warmth in. Turns out the soaking, muddy ground made it worse.

Of course, there was nothing else Yugi could do, so he just grit his teeth and bore through it.

Yami's not POV… uh… Perspective?:

Yami woke up to the quiet sound of rain on the balcony. Shivering a little, he pulled his covers tighter around himself, though he smiled. Rain was rare and was always a thing to rejoice about. The rhythmic beating of the rain slowly lulled him to sleep again.

The morning came and the sun shone brightly in Yami's eyes. Apparently, the rain from last night was gone. Still, he smiled as he got up, taking in the fresh scent of the world after rain. Deciding it was a perfect day, Yami quickly got dressed and went down to breakfast.

Yami greeted his parents cheerily, much to their surprise. They were more used to his moody side than his happy one. After a happy breakfast, Yami was walking towards the exit when Joey caught up to him.

"Good morning, Yer Highness." Joey greeted with a mock salute. Yami chuckled and smiled at him.

"Good morning, my oh-so-useless guard." Yami mocked right back. Joey pouted, though all was fine between the two friends. "Any word on the boy?" Joey shook his head.

"Nope. Nothin' excitin' has happened in days!" Joey complained. Yami shook his head at his friends low attention span.

"I personally hope it stays the way. The less trouble, the better."

"I suppose yer righ'. Still, I wish I had more ta do dan train an' stuff."

"I'm sure something will come up." Yami reassured, though he rolled his eyes.

"It betta. I'm goin' insane with boredom."

"Oh don't pretend you're _going_ insane. You already _are _insane." Yami said with a laugh.

"Hey!" Joey pretended to be offended.

"I'm just kidding. Besides, I understand how you feel. I'm going stir crazy in here."

"Well den let's go!" Joey started towards the exit when a guard called his attention.

"Sir Joey! You're needed in the square!" The guard called out.

"Aw man. Duty calls!" Joey waved as he ran off. Yami shook his head and continued on his way outside.

As Yami walked out of the Palace, he decided it was a perfect day for riding. He happily walked to the pasture, already scanning it for Yugi. Not seeing him right away he called to him a few times. Still no sign of him. That was strange… Usually Yugi ran over to greet him, or at least tried to.

Yami entered the pasture and pushed his way past the other horses. Looking around some more, he finally spotted a familiar black mass lying near the corner of the paddock. "Yugi!" Yami called again. Nothing.

Yugi's POV:

"Yugi!" My fuzzy brain registered someone calling my name. Who...? I tried to open my eyes, but they felt so heavy! I shivered a little and realized how cold I was. That was strange, considering the burning sun shining down on me.

When I finally managed to pry my eyes open I nearly shut them again due to the bright light. Man, I felt awful! It took me a moment to register that I was sick. It didn't seem too severe, but it definitely felt worse than a cold. _Stupid rain… _ I thought. _You did this to me!_ It was fairly stupid, but my mind couldn't conjure up anything better. I barely even registered Yami approaching me.

Yami's POV:

"Yugi?" I slowly walked over to Yugi, now very concerned. As I got closer, I could see sweat shining on his coat, which wouldn't have been a major concern if it wasn't couple with his labored breathing. I knelt down beside him and placed my hand on his neck. He was much warmer than usual.

I immediately checked Yugi's pulse to find it much faster than normal. "Well, Yugi. It appears you've come down with something." I petted his forehead gently. The sickness didn't seem too bad, but it was still concerning. "Must have been that rain last night, huh?" I asked softly, still stroking him. Yugi snorted in return and I smiled slightly.

"Sorry you are not feeling well, friend." I sat down by Yugi. "There's not much I can do really. You just need some rest." Another soft snort. I chuckled slightly and pulled his skin up a bit. I watched as it slowly went back down. "You're dehydrated. I'll get you some water." I got up and fetched a bucket. I filled it up in the stream on my way back.

I put the bucket next to Yugi but he ignored it. "Come on, Yugi… You have to drink something. I promise you'll feel better." I told him, sitting down again. Yugi didn't move. I sighed and dipped my hand into the bucket. I brought my cupped hand full of water to his lips. It didn't do much more than wet Yugi's lips, but it seemed to motivate him.

I helped Yugi hold his neck up enough to drink from the bucket. He drank most of the water, but not all. I supposed that was good enough. "You hungry?" I asked as I gently helped lay him back down. No response. Then again, did I really expect one?

I got up and retrieved some oats and grain. I once again had to feed Yugi by hand, but this time he didn't lift his head at all. At first, he refused to eat, but after a little coaxing he ate a little. After a while, someone was bound to come looking for me.

When one of the guards arrived, they asked if I would come back to the Palace. I refused and stayed with Yugi. I wasn't going anywhere until Yugi was better again. I'd even sleep out here if I had to, considering the lack of a stable.

"Sire, I'll take over. I promise to take very good care of your horse." A groom said as he kneeled before me.

"No. I'm staying with Yugi. I do not require your services." I replied curtly.

"But, Prince Yami, you are needed in the Palace. It's not safe nor good for your health to stay out here." The groom protested. No doubt my parents wanted me back or something like that. Otherwise, the groom would be long gone in fear of the expression I gave him.

"I told you before. I do not require your services. I will take care of my horse on my own." I said through clenched teeth. Finally, the stable boy conceded and left.

I remained with Yugi, softly stroking his neck and whispering soothing words in his ear. He seemed to relax a bit and even accepted more food and water. A couple more people were dispatched to get me, but they too were sent away. Eventually, they gave up and settled with having a few guards posted around the pasture.

I slept very little that night, but that didn't matter. As long as Yugi was okay, I was happy. It took a few more sleepless nights, but Yugi was going to be okay. I stayed with him as much as I could, and I could tell from the look in his eyes that he appreciated it.

Yugi's POV:

I don't remember a lot from the days I was sick. Everything was fuzzy and kind of blended together. I do remember, however, that Yami was with me. Almost always. He stayed by me and saw personally to my health and care.

At first, I was confused. No owner had ever treated me with such kindness. I almost felt human again with the amount of care I received. For that, I would forever be thankful. From the moment I saw him, I knew Yami was different and I immediately liked him. That feeling had only increased as I got to know him. I knew, deep in my heart, that my loyalty would forever be with him. No matter what.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey! What do you know? I'm alive! Haha, sorry... Yeah... Well you see, it was my birthday in February so I decided to give myself a month off as a gift to myself... then it turned into three months... So... my apologies. I'm sorry for making you wait so long! Anyways, here's the chapter!**

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Yugi's POV:

The day was sunny and bright as Yami rode me through the city. This time, due to Yami's parents, Joey was riding with us. Much to my dismay, he was riding the white mare that seemed to torment me so much. I heard Joey call her Faras*. Faras didn't say anything to me during the whole ride. She probably thought she was somehow hurting me by it. In truth, I was grateful for the silence.

"… not in the city after all." Yami's voice stole my attention.

"I don' know, Yami. Maybe da kid's some phantom spiri' or sometin." Joey replied. Yami looked at him weirdly.

"No such thing exists, Joey. That's ridiculous."

"Well I don' see you comin' up with ideas why we haven' found 'im yet!" Joey protested.

"He probably just doesn't _want_ to be found." Yami replied back. Joey considered this and deemed it more reasonable than his response. To Yami, it just surprised him that he had to think on it at all. "Anyways, as I was saying earlier, maybe the boy isn't in the city. He could be camped outside of it."

"Dat's a good idea! We should check outside da city!" Joey said excitedly. Yami just nodded and steered me towards the entrance of the city.

We stepped into the hot desert beyond the borders and stopped. Yami and Joey looked around, searching for a hint as to my other form's whereabouts. Joey pointed out that there was an oasis about a mile from here and Yami agreed to start there.

As our journey continued, the heat seemed to be getting to Faras. She was sweating, panting, and just not looking well. I, on the other hand, was fine with the heat. When you spend as many uncomfortable days in blistering heat and freezing nights as I have, you get used to it. Yami and Joey were too focused on the surrounding area to notice her plight. At first, I pretended not to notice. It wasn't in my nature to be rude about it and all, but at the same time, I didn't want to help her out.

When it got to the point that Faras looked like she'd collapse, I stopped dead in my tracks. Yami looked down at me, looking concerned. "What's wrong, Yugi?" Yami asked. I just walked over to Faras and nudged her shoulder to avert his attention from me to her. Yami finally seemed to notice her condition. "Joey, let's take a break. The horses could use some rest."

"All righ', the oasis is jus' up ahead, we'll walk da rest of da way and relax in da shade dere." Joey replied. Yami nodded and they both dismounted.

We walked for two minutes before we reached the beautiful patch of greenery and water. We all drank our fill from the pond and rested in the shade provided by some trees. After a few minutes, Yami and Joey got up to search the oasis for signs of… well, me…

My ears twitched as I heard a sound coming from behind us. I turned to look and saw men dressed in black with black turbans covering their faces approaching us. I neighed and reared up, attempting to warn Yami and Joey who were not too far in front of us. They both turned to find the attackers charging at them. Joey and Yami drew their swords and glanced at each other, dead serious, before engaging in battle.

I scanned the battle, looking for ways I could help, when someone grabbed my reins. I reared up, trying to dislodge their hold, but they yanked me back down with surprising strength. I kicked out at him and managed to cuff his shoulder. The bandit yelped and backed off.

I charged away, heading towards Yami, who seemed to be having some trouble with three against one. I ran in front of an oncoming attack towards Yami's back and lashed out with my front hooves. The man jumped back and I managed to buy Yami enough time to dispatch one of the bandits.

The man who had grabbed me ran towards me, cursing. I managed to avoid him for a while, but eventually he had hold of me again. He practically dragged me back over to where another bandit was holding Faras. It was then I noticed how outnumbered we were. This was a big group of bandits, and I knew Yami and Joey wouldn't last long.

Pretty soon, Joey and Yami were dragged over, both tied and gagged. "Nice catch! These two look rich, not to mention we gained some fine-looking horses!" One of the men said. I snorted in protest. I saw the man I'd kicked earlier glare at me.

"Come on, let's get out of here!" Another man said. The first man, who I guessed was their leader, walked up to me. I backed up as far as I could, but another bandit was holding my reins, limiting my movement. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a second bandit mount Faras, probably the second-in-command. She offered no protest.

I turned my attention back to the leader and glared at him as best I could. My loyalty belonged to Yami, and nothing would change that. I shifted as much as I could while he was trying to mount, which got him somewhat frustrated. I swear I saw Yami smiling slightly from where he was being held.

Finally, the man managed to get on me. He kicked me to start their trek back to wherever they came from. I stayed put. He kicked again and again, but I remained stubbornly in place. "Stupid horse… Hand me a crop, will ya?" The irritated bandit called to one of his men. I snorted and shook my head. I hated those things… The requested material got closer and I looked around for an escape. My eyes landed on Yami and I noticed he looked _mad_.

_SMACK!_

The crop hit me and I snorted in defiance. He hit me again right on my flank and I squealed and shook my head, almost ripping the reins out of his hands. Another time and I reared up. Just as I'd intended, the bandit leader fell off. I pranced slightly to celebrate my victory. The leader looked angry…

"Stupid horse! Who cares anyway?" The leader screamed. "Just leave him here." The leader took over Faras and the group began to move.

Of course, I followed just behind the man pushing Yami ahead of him. I wasn't about to abandon him. A couple of the bandits approached as if to recapture me, but I evaded them every time. We walked for an hour or so. Finally, we stopped at a run-down, dark base camp. The crudely built buildings looked ready to fall down any second. There were only two buildings, a meeting room and a building for the living quarters (the biggest one). A couple thick posts were stuck into the ground on one side of the camp.

Yami and Joey were tied up to one and Faras to another. They tried to tie me up too, but I fought them until they gave up. The bandits went inside for the night.

I stood close to Yami at all times. Noticing he looked rather depressed, I nudged his shoulder encouragingly. Yami seemed to smile at me through the gag. I saw a fiery determination in his eyes and I knew we would get out of here, somehow.

***Mare in Arabic**


End file.
